Corralitas Drive: ALERT, Large Coyote Pack

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, June 11, 2017.  Coyote pup on Red Car Property, still photo taken from video.

A Corralitas Drive neighbor, from the middle of the hill, wrote in an email today, "last night at 11pm, I saw a pack of 5-6 coyotes casually sauntering up Corralitas in the middle of the road, as if they were clocking in for the night shift."

It's more typical we see packs of 3 coyotes in the Red Car Neighborhood.  This is the first sighting of such a large pack on the street.  It is likely a family group with the juveniles learning to hunt with the adults.

Los Angeles Animal Services recommends "hazing' coyotes. If you encounter coyotes,  throw small rocks, shout, wave your arms, make yourself larger.  Be sure to keep your dog on leash and do not let your dogs chase coyotes.  

With a pack that large it is easy for them to lie in wait around cars to take unsuspecting pets as prey. Yes, I've stopped a couple of those attacks using the aforementioned techniques. You know the neighbors who walk their dogs regularly in the neighborhood, by the fact we've all said, "I saw two coyotes and I looked around and said to myself, OK, where's the third one?"

If you feed your pets outside, pick up the food bowls as soon as they are finished.  Do not leave even empty trash and recycle bins open.  If the bins are cracked or broken, get them replaced for free by calling 311 or online via MyLA 311.

Living with urban coyotes: LA Animal Services 

Record your coyote sightings: LA Nature Map on iNaturalist 

Click here for all our coyote posts.
 

Red Car Property: Sewer Maintenance

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 16, 2017.  The City contracts out routine sewer maintenance on the Red Car Property.  They were scoping the 8" sewer lines with a camera.  Workers explained, the City contracts out maintenance in areas where access is difficult and requires gaining access on multiple private properties.  They also said the City deferred maintenance for decades in difficult areas.

For reference, this post was actually published December 2, 2017 and backdated to when the photo was shot and first appeared on Twitter.

Corralitas Drive: Lost Dogs Passing Through

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, November 1, 2017.  A couple of good looking, friendly Huskies came romping through the top of Corralitas Drive just before 10 AM today.  Neighbors attempted to corral the dogs but they were having too much fun running free.  Huskies are notorious escape artists.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, November 1, 2017.  Both dogs had collars, but no tags.  They took off down the street.  Huskies can run for miles so they may not be from the Red Car Property Neighborhood.

If you find a lost dog, the best thing to do is to take it to LA City North Central Animal Shelter on Lacy Street.  You can put the right of first refusal to adopt the dog, if the owner does not claim him.  

The "pound" is the first place most people look for their lost dogs.  They can also scan animals for microchips.  If you've recently moved, be sure to update your pets' microchip info with the company it's registered with.

UPDATE: Dogs were found by their owner who lives in Elysian Valley via NextDoor.
 

Corralitas Drive: Measurable Rain!

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor: September 21, 2017.  On the last full day of summer rain fell! At least the street sweeper blew less dust in the air.

We track rainfall totals in the Corralitas Drive rain gauge. For the past couple of years, we followed the water year as the rain year since the State changed the way it measured rain or water year from October 1 to September 30.  

Previously the season to date was from July 1 to June 30.  Apparently everyone is confused by the fluidity of the definitions (pun intended).  I'm now finding July 1 to June 30 the primary rainfall season once again. 

So this is either the first rain of the year 2017 - 2018 (since our last measurable rainfall on Corralitas Drive was May 7, 2017) or it could be the last rain of 2016-2017.  For now, less than a tenth of one inch isn't going to change our Corralitas totals enough to worry about to which year we're attributing it.  The LA Almanac and other sources count the season as July 1 to June 30.  So we're returning to that schedule this rainy season and will, once again, identify July 1 to June 30, "season to date."

September 21, 2017: 0.05"
Rain/water year to date: 24.09" Oct 1- Sept 30
Season to date:  0.05" July 1 - June 30

Riverside Drive: Closed For Repaving This Weekend

Map from Dept of Public Works.  

I got a confusing Media Advisory from the Dept of Public Works this week re: repaving and road closure of Riverside Drive.  Their map and the text of the advisory did not match up.  

Hector Vega in CD13 contacted me to clarify: they're repaving Riverside Drive between Newell and Birkdale.  Birkdale is just north of Dorris Place Elementary in the southern part of Elysian Valley.  

Vega said Public Works will be working north to south, Saturday and south to north, Sunday.  They will be scraping then paving 6 AM to 6PM.

Neighbors who live on Riverside Drive, Riverside Terrace, Riverside Place, Silver Lake Ave and India Street who only have vehicle access via Riverside Drive, as well as Corralitas Drive residents should plan extra time into your driving this weekend.   Residents will be able to take Riverside Drive, but plan ahead.  

Do NOT use the Red Car Property as a short cut.  Brush clearance has NOT been done yet.  Please do NOT cut through residential streets in Elysian Valley.

The Dodgers are NOT at home this weekend.  The project was postponed once due to Dodgers' schedule.

Astro Restaurant: C-145 Brought A Friend

Video: Gary Vlahakis, June 18, 2017.  The coyote in tracking collar, often seen waiting for a meal in the Astro Restaurant parking lot, was identified as C-145 by LA City Animal Services Wildlife Officer Hoang DInh, but we could just call him Astro.

National Park Service was tracking C-145 along with 5 other coyotes in their Los Angeles urban coyote study.  C-145 and his mate had a litter in a Silver Lake backyard in 2016.  According to the NPS website, the batteries died a few months after the collar was placed on the coyote.  Information regarding the study hasn't been updated since 2016. You might try Facebook for their latest info.  

There is an ongoing coyote scat study, with the help of volunteers, they learn much about what Los Angeles coyotes are eating.  In C-145's case, you don't need to find his poop to know he's a regular at Astro and probably taught his pups to eat there too.  (I'd heard stories for years about the coyote in a collar who visits Astro, but last week was the first proof.)

Under the advice of  Wildlife Officer Dinh, Vlahakis attempted to chase off C-145 and his buddy from the Astro parking lot. C145's buddy took off across Fletcher. C-145 is so unafraid of people that he went right back to the parking lot to wait for breakfast early Sunday morning. 

Dinh recommends hazing coyotes: making your self large, waving your arms, throwing pine cones in the direction of coyotes to make them afraid of people again.  

LA City Animal Services is hosting a series of Wildlife Workshops across the City.  In addition to coyotes in our neighborhood we have bobcat, gray fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk, rats and snakes among a plethora of birds, raptors, owls, gophers and insects in the neighborhood.

LA City Wildlife Workshop

Thursday, July 13, 2017
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
North Central Shelter
3201 Lacy St.
Los Angeles, CA 90031

(Cypress Park)

Learn more about living with urban wildlife:
Los Angeles City Animal Services
Coyote Hazing The Humane Society
Conflict Resolution With Coyotes The Humane Society 
Keep Me Wild State of California  

Document coyote sightings (citizen science):
"Coyote Catcher" University of California
LA Nature Map on iNaturalist LA County Natural History Museum

We've been documenting coyote sightings in the Corralitas Red Car Property Neighborhood for the past ten years.If you have photos of coyotes or other wildlife in the neighborhood, email photos or links to video along with a brief when, where and what was the behavior you observed: redcarproperty@gmail.com

Rosebud Ave & Corralitas Drive: Homeless Guy Paints Birds Red, Neighbors Cry "Foul"

*Updated

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, May 12, 2017.  A number of neighbors are alarmed the homeless guy's live doves appear to have been painted or dyed red and pink.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, May 12, 2017.  Several neighbors contacted me over the past few days saying the doves were now red.  Two took photos.  All were advised to call the City's Animal Abuse Task Force.  

One neighbor wrote in an email, "The birds do not look well at all, especially the red one.  I understand this guy is homeless and has issues, but it's not these poor birds fault."

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, May 12, 2017.  Neighbors were already concerned for the doves' well being  as their cage was too small for them to move much or stretch their wings.  Painting or dying the helpless birds has really crossed the line.

The homeless guy has tested the patience of Corralitas Drive neighbors since early January.  

Previous posts:
February 17, 2017
March 24, 2017
May 11, 2017

*May 19, 2017 UPDATE: LA City Dept of Animal Services determined the doves were dyed with a hair dye like one used on dogs.  Thus there was no crime nor animal abuse.  At the same time Animal Services met with the homeless guy on site, LAPD SLO Lenny Davis, and PATH outreach workers once again offered him services and once again, he refused, preferring to remain on the sidewalk.

Allesandro Street, 2 Freeway: Motor Homes, Dumping, Unwalkable Sidewalk, Dry Brush

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, May 11, 2017, 7 PM.  Two motor homes without license plates have been parked on Allesandro Street just south of Rosebud Ave, attracting dumping.(Click on photo to enlarge.)

This portion of Allesandro to Riverside Drive was a part of a "No Overnight Parking Zone," but the signs directly across from the controversial Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract 15-lot subdivision mysteriously disappeared when it was under construction.

Neither the City nor CalTrans takes care of the sidewalk adjacent to the 2 Freeway.  But then, it's not a real sidewalk, despite the City building ADA compliant ramps at all the intersections on Allesandro in the 1990s.  It's still a narrow strip of asphalt in a curb.  The lack of street addresses prevent all but the most persistent neighbors from getting dumping removed by the City.  Weeds, trash, dumping and telephone poles blocking the extremely narrow sidewalk are a challenge for any pedestrian.

CalTrans insists the "sidewalks" adjacent their freeways are the City's responsibility.  If homeowners are supposed to maintain the sidewalk adjacent to their homes, shouldn't CalTrans have the same responsibility? 

Wonder if CalTrans will be doing the brush clearance up on their parkway since it can no longer be seen from the northbound 2 Freeway due to the sound wall.

Corralitas Drive & Rosebud Ave: Homeless Guy Refuses To Move

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor #1, March 5, 2017. Neighbors are  frustrated by the City's policy allowing the homeless to live on the sidewalk.  Neighbors were fed up when the homeless guy's camp expanded with electronics, Christmas lights and what several neighbors described as "entertaining sketchy looking friends." (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor #1, February 14, 2017.  Neighbors on Corralitas Drive had been remarkably tolerant of the homeless guy who, he first week of January, took up residence under the 2 Freeway,  at the corner of Rosebud Ave and Corralitas Drive.  However, after six weeks, neighbors noticed a deterioration of his camp, of blocking much of the sidewalk. 

Neighbors were fed up and amplified their calls and emails to CD13.  Several neighbors responded to our earlier post, including this response on February 17, by a neighbor at home with her kids, sent via email to neighbors and CD13:

"He knocked on my door on a rainy day, asking me for a wine bottle opener because someone stole his. I kindly told him I don't have one and immediately closed the door. I was home with all my kids and pretty concerned because as he went down the stairs (most likely frustrated), he went to my neighbor's garage door and cracked the bottle open by breaking off the neck of his wine bottle and leaving the broken glass on the sidewalk."  

Another neighbor home with his kids, witnessed the same incident after he'd sent the homeless guy away after making the same request at his door.   

In the following weeks, neighbors were on edge due to a reported increase in Silver Lake car break-ins; an attempted Corralitas garage break-in; graffiti, package and mail theft; suspicious vehicles cruising our hard to find hillside street; other cars seemingly abandoned on the Red Car Property; and most disturbingly, witnessed by multiple neighbors, a woman described as either on drugs or crazy, showing up inside at least one home on Corralitas Drive and another home on Riverside Place.  (Both times, homeowners confronted the woman, who did not know her.)  Only one of those events was witnessed as related to the homeless guy, but his presence only aggravates the general unease in the neighborhood.

Corralitas Neighbor #2, March 6, 2017.  Neighbors were surprised to see so many City trucks and police officers in the tunnel late in the day, March 6.  The homeless guy had been given notice by the City, at least 72 hours prior to the Dept of Sanitation regarding moving his property from the sidewalk.  

Corralitas Neighbor #2, March 6, 2017.  The City followed their standard policy to clean  the sidewalk.  The lengthy process to remove property from City sidewalk was initiated in January. Due to civil rights lawsuits, the City has a very specific policy related to removing the homeless' belongings from City property.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor #2, March 7, 2017. Three hours after his camp was cleared by the City, the homeless guy returned.  Neighbors are getting hostile.  Remember, Rosebud Ave is the primary means of access to Corralitas Drive.  It is the only vehicle access. 

Corralitas Neighborhood Watch warned neighbors NOT to give handouts to the homeless guy as it was only encouraging him to stay.  Neighbors resumed their emails to CD13.  A representative assured us, the return was reported to PATH and the process resumed.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor #3, March 9, 2017.  Less than 24 hours after the homeless guy's camp was cleared from under the 2 Freeway on Rosebud at Corralitas Drive, a new couch appeared.  The old couch was black.  This begs the question, who is delivering  couches to the homeless?  He did not get it here on his shopping cart.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor #2, March 17, 2017.  Neighbors are frustrated as his pile of belongings and trash grows daily.  One neighbor said, "His collection grows every day...he is so in your face, as if that is now his property."  Other neighbors have witnessed suspicious activity.

Neighbors with children and single women have expressed fear and will no longer walk through the tunnel to reach Allesandro.  With such a small street, the homeless guy knows all of our schedules, cars and homes.  Neighbors are fed up.

CD13 is urging neighbors to report all suspicious and illicit activity to the LAPD.  Report dumping and graffiti to MyLA311.

It is not a crime to be homeless, nor is public urination.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor #4, March 22, 2017.  It figures, in Silver Lake, we have hipster homeless.  Corralitas Neighbor #4 remarked, "I think our homeless guy has a subscription to dwell."

Clearly people in Silver Lake throw out too much stuff.  Instead of throwing your used home goods, clothing, toys and furniture in the trash, or giving the stuff you're tired of directly to the homeless guy, donate it to Out of the Closet, Goodwill or St Vincent de Paul.  All three have donation centers in Cypress Park or Lincoln Heights, freeway close and just minutes away.  

PATH outreach workers were seen again yesterday talking with the homeless guy who, so far, has refused to get off the street.

Related: City of LA Guidelines on Abandoned Property and Encampments (CD13)
PATH

Request a bulky item pick up, report illegal dumping, graffiti, street light outages, and other City Services: MyLA311

Earlier post: February 17, 2017

Red Car Property Lot C: Mudwatch, Creeks, Stormwater Flow

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, December 24, 2016.  You can see the motor oil and other black stuff around the edges of the many deep puddles on Lot C.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, December 24, 2016.  Lot C Creek drains down toward India Street where it meets up with Red Car Creek (originating as Upper Red Car Canyon Creek), flows down India Street, then makes its way down to Riverside Drive.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, December 24, 2016.  Red Car Creek was not deterred by the City's paving of the vernal pool at the India Street entrance to the Red Car Property.

Today, City of LA laying asphalt in the vernal pool on Private property: Red Car Property at India St, 3rd time this month @MitchOFarrell pic.twitter.com/0JX9fYZ4GC

— Corralitas (@RedCarProperty) December 21, 2016

Yesterday, I received an email response from a representative of CD13 responding to my email inquiry including a neighbor's photos regarding the City's paving of the Red Car Property this week:

"Street Services is investigating this issue and should be getting back to us shortly. We're [the City] is not in the business of placing asphalt on private property so you can be assured that this won't happen again."

Red Car Canyon: Lots Of Noise, Multiple Generators, Lots Of Vehicles Around Dead Trees

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 18, 2016.  Neighbors are still wondering is this is a part of the sewer replacement project going on in the area.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 18, 2016.  Multiple generators, large trucks and a backhoe are all parked right up against dead and dying trees in Red Car Canyon between Corralitas, Lake View Ave and Riverside Place.  We sent these photos Friday to CD13 and LAFD Brush Unit. 

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 18, 2016.  Neighbors on top of Corralitas Drive complained their windows were vibrating while the "Hammerhead" was in use.  It was parked on Riverside Place.  One neighbor even recorded the sound because it was so loud.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 18, 2016.  It looks like the front of the hose is a high pressure nozzle rather than dig by hand or backhoe to lay pipe.  

However, this is just speculation since we've not been able to confirm anything associated with this project.

Red Car Canyon: Sewer Contractor Working In Dry Brush Area

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  Last week, neighbors from Corralitas, Lake View and Riverside Place wondered about the backhoe, generator, porta-potty and other trucks in Red Car Canyon.  This appears to be part of a large sewer project in the area. (Click on photos to enlarge.)  

It is of major concern to neighbors, since brush clearance was never done this year and the canyon is the most dry it's ever been in the 26 years I've lived here.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  While taking photos, the neighbor spoke to a City inspector on site who said they were working on sewer lines between manhole covers up on the Corralitas side of the slope, along the fence line (hidden by the dense brush).

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  Another neighbor confirmed what appears to be the same crew has been working in and around Riverside Place since September.  The same neighbor also said they seemed to be working in a patchwork fashion. He'd received a letter from the City a year ago.  Another Red Car Property neighbor overlooking the south end of the Red Car Property received a similar letter.  Although that section should be more challenging, since the sewer line is in the middle of the slope, running parallel with the power lines.  They worked on sewers from the city easements in backyards on Corralitas Drive and on the Lake View side of Red Car Canyon in 2015.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 10, 2016.  The proximity of the work to dry brush and dead and dying trees concerns neighbors most. No one has seen any brush clearance on this end of the property since July, and that now appears to have been done by utility company contractors and individual homeowners concerned about their own safety.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 9, 2016. There is a large build up of dry leaves and brush from the dry and dying canyon trees, including a large eucalyptus directly behind and above the area where the crew was working last week. However, the little Coast Live Oak Tree on the right side of the above photo is about 12 feet tall now. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 9, 2016.  It's always difficult to get a good representative photo of the canyon area because of the harsh contrast in lighting through the trees.  However the pine and eucalyptus trees above the generator have been drying out horribly this year.  Adjacent neighbors have bamboo in their yards, a highly combustible plant which leaves Red Car Canyon a disaster waiting happen.  

Water your trees.

 

Corralitas Public Staircase: Let's Hope This Is Only Temporary

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, April 19, 2016.  Asphault is no substitue for concrete on a well used public staircase.  We will follow up with the DWP on this one.

Corralitas Public Staircase: DWP Digs Up Landing

 

Photos: Corralitas Neighbors, April 19, 2016.  Today, the DWP dug up a landing on the Corralitas Public Staircase to put in water main connections for a duplex under construction at the top of the public staircase.

Neighbors were advised the DWP would be putting n a water main connection off the public staircase this week.  However we had no idea the DWP would be digging up the public staircase and started sending photos first thing this morning.  We posted the photos to our Twitter feed as soon as we received them. 

According to one neighbor, the DWP dug a trench all the way up the hill, on the opposite side of the public staircase, then crossed under the staircase at the base of the last flight of stairs.  According to the workers on site, they would only be replacing the landing they dug up.

We hope the work doesn't undermine the Corralitas Public Staircase.  The staircase dates to at least 1922 as shown in the Hunter Terrace - Elysian Gardens real estate brochure).  Portions of the staircase are in dire need of repair.  

The two flights at the bottom of the public staircase were rebuilt in 1961, when the state cut deeply  into the hillside for construction of the 2 Freeway.  From 1960 - 1962, Rosebud, Corralitas and the pubic staircase were moved to accommodate freeway construction. 
 

Corralitas Drive: Temporary No Parking Zone Reduced

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, April 12, 2016.  Tuesday, the City Department of Transportation (DOT) mistakenly placed temporary No Parking signs on both sides of Corralitas Drive between Rosebud and the top of the hill - covering 80% of the entire hillside street with only one means of access.

Today, we learned the signs were for the DWP to put in a water main connection to a duplex under construction at the top of the Corralitas Public Staircase.  After I spoke by phone to the DWP site supervisor this morning, he went to the street and removed all the unnecessary signs.  The remaining signs are around construction site at either end of the public staircase.  DWP needs the parking for their vehicles and to leave a lane open for cars going up and down the hill. 

Work should be complete next week.  The Corralitas Public Staircase will be closed to the public on the days they are working there.  Work should start later this week and take about 2 days (not a month as the no parking permit was issued to the DWP).

Tuesday, neighbors were fuming as there was no information, nor warning prior to the signs showing up.  Corralitas neighbors worked together quickly sharing information so we could follow up.  A number of neighbors spoke to the DWP site supervisor in the street today.    He encouraged us to talk to them on site if there are questions or problems.

Good work neighbors!

Previous: Mystery No Parking Signs